Farc chief Manuel "Sureshot" Marulanda maybe dead.

[Rik Meleet]

The Colombian government is investigating a report that the leader of the Farc rebel group is dead, the defence minister has said.

Juan Manuel Santos told Semana magazine that Manuel "Sureshot" Marulanda may have died on 26 March, citing "a source who has never failed us".

The top rebel commander's death has been rumoured and later disproved several times in the past.

Correspondents say if confirmed the death would be a big blow to the Farc.

Marulanda, whose real name is Pedro Antonio Marin, has led the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or Farc, since its foundation in 1964.

Marulanda is thought to be 78 years old and there have been persistent rumours of ill health, including evidence that suggested he had prostate cancer.

Mr Manual Santos said reports from guerrillas suggested Marulanda died of a heart attack, although he also told the magazine that three bombing raids had targeted the rebel chief on the date in question.

The BBC's Jeremy McDermott in Bogota says the 44-year-old rebel movement is currently suffering its worst period yet, with two top commanders dead and others surrendered.

Another blow to the Farc.

 

[Abaddon]

Why should we be in support of this "terrorist/freedom fighter/rebel/criminal/civilwarist"

 

[Cheezy the Wiz]

Who is suggesting we should, Abaddon?

 

[Cheezy the Wiz]

Who is suggesting we should, Abaddon?

 

[Abaddon]

Another blow to the Farc.

Perhaps I read it wrong.. but that sounded sympathetic to me...

 

[luiz]

The FARCs are going down. Pretty much every month they are losing an important leadership, and their effective has fallen more than 50% since the peak.

Their violent and repeated acts of terrorism have united the colombian people against them and now they are receiving what they deserve, death.

 

[Slaughter]

I saw the news some hours ago, and I love how (I think it was the defense minister) said that Marulanda probrably had gone straight to hell, just like that. The guy got ballz of steel, I like that.

Go wage a guerrila on the devil now, Marulanda.

 

[Phlegmak]

The only good thing about FARC rebels is that they're biodegradable.

 

[Newbunkle]

Hopefully, this news is true.

 

[Hygro]

of course he has prostate cancer. he's 78.

 

[Rik Meleet]

Perhaps I read it wrong.. but that sounded sympathetic to me...

You read it wrong.

Another blow to the Farc.

= happy

Another blow to the Farc.

= sympathetic

Another blow to the Farc.

= neutral

By the way, the Colombian government has confirmed his death.

 

[Newbunkle]

Heh. It is true, its been confirmed by Farc(e). BBC

 

[jroa99]

FARC seems to have confirmed it, not that unexpectedly, to Venezuelan TV, so that's all that needs to be said.

There goes another one then. Whatever anyone else may think, I do not lament this in any way, shape or form.

 

[fugazi]

Not a person we'll be missing. Let's hope more of that scum is gonna follow his good example

 

[LesCanadiens]

Absolutely. I agree with all of you guys. Long live the horsehockey, corrupt, oppressive government of Colombia under which most people live in poverty!

 

[emzie]

The only good thing about FARC rebels is that they're biodegradable.

First saw this on wikipedia when Colombia did that strike outside their territory.

I'd hit it.

 

[jroa99]

Absolutely. I agree with all of you guys. Long live the horsehockey, corrupt, oppressive government of Colombia under which most people live in poverty!

And FARC is not horsehockey, corrupt and oppressive in its own way? Or is it helping people to not live in poverty?

Mass poverty is widespread throughout Latin America, by the way, it is not something exclusive to Colombia. To pretend that any one government, as flawed as it may be, is responsible for it, or that FARC is somehow better, is ridiculous.

Tell that to the people they've killed, kidnapped, displaced, threatened, extorted, blockaded, robbed and intimidated. Many of those people have been reduced to poverty as well, those that have not had the chance to fight back. So much for that.

Yes, there are also many people who've suffered at the hands of government forces or rightwing paramilitaries, that is horrible as well, but some of those criminals actually end up in jail or are actually punished by the system, and there are even successful cases of people suing the state for damages (including, ironically, damages from FARC attacks). How often do you hear about FARC punishing its own offenders within its ranks or having to pay reparations? And that's just one thing.

Also, at least the government, for all its flaws, elects different people on a regular basis (even if several of them may be corrupt) and doesn't have at its head an aging dinosaur who holds onto power until the moment of his death, who cannot be criticized but is instead enshrined in a cult of personality (even freaking Uribe has some public criticism, even if he's also praised rather sloppily as I admit, but who could dare to criticize Marulanda, face to face, within FARC? Nobody).

I want things to change in Colombia, that's why I support the Alternative Democratic Pole, but not through FARC.

 

[jroa99]

First saw this on wikipedia when Colombia did that strike outside their territory.

....

I'd hit it.

Ignoring the fact that this shouldn't be taken seriously in the first place and is terribly superficial...

The average guerrilla, or Colombian for that matter, doesn't look as "nice" as that.

But if all you can think about is who to "hit", you'd be better off hanging around some druglords than guerrillas.

 

[emzie]

Ignoring the fact that this shouldn't be taken seriously in the first place and is terribly superficial...

The average guerrilla, or Colombian for that matter, doesn't look as "nice" as that.

But if all you can think about is who to "hit", you'd be better off hanging around some druglords than guerrillas.

Clearly my support for guerrilla groups is based on the member photos I can find on wikipedia.

 

[Phlegmak]

First saw this on wikipedia when Colombia did that strike outside their territory.

I'd hit it.

I'd pass. She's a member of a murderous communist rebel group, so there's no telling what kind of horror she'd inflict on someone of a different mindset.